1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to acidified chlorite compositions containing a nitrogenous stabilizer, as well as to two-part systems for generation of such compositions and to methods related to their use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many diseases arise from the growth and spread of microorganisms that can affect all aspects of life, from human health, to animal health, to food and water safety, to the safety of the environments we live in. Disinfectants have found wide spread application in all these areas. Hospitals perform rigorous programs to disinfect and sterilize their environments. Consumer homes are replete with disinfectant hand cleaners, sprays, hard surface cleaners, disinfectant wipes, and fruits and vegetable washes. Disinfectants are widely used on farms where the difference between healthy and sick animals can mean the difference between profitability and loss.
Mastitis is one of the most common and economically costly diseases confronting milk producers. Economic losses result from poorer milk quality, lower milk production, and potential culling of chronically infected animals. The use of disinfectant solutions both before and after milking has found great success in preventing mastitis, particularly disinfectants based on acidified chlorite as commercially available from Alcide Corporation (Redmond, Wash.).
Acidified chlorite (AC) disinfectants are commonly two-part products having a first or “base” part containing a chlorite (such as sodium chlorite) and a second or “activator” part containing an acid activator. The AC disinfectant is formed upon mixing the first and second parts, and typically only in amounts sufficient for a given milking period. Depending upon the desired characteristics and/or intended use of the AC disinfectant, either the first or second part, or both parts, may contain one or more optional ingredients such as skin conditioners, healing agents, surfactants, thickeners, film-forming agents, and/or preservatives. Also, depending upon the two-part system, the AC disinfecting composition may be formed by simply mixing the first and second parts, often in approximately equal volumes, or may involve some additional dilution step before or after mixing.
Color has proved to be an important attribute for teat disinfectants, allowing farmers to visually confirm that the disinfectant has been properly applied to the teat. This is particularly advantageous for confirming application to large herds when multiple farm workers are applying the disinfectant to many different animals. Unfortunately, colorants often lead to the rapid consumption of chlorite, leading to a shorter useful lifetime than the same compositions without colorants.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for improved AC disinfectants generally. More particularly, there is a need to minimize the rate of chlorite consumption and/or chlorine dioxide formation in AC disinfectants, thus maximizing their useful lifetime. In addition, there is a specific need to extend the useful lifetime of AC disinfectants that employ colorants. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.